Audio by: Tracy Redd, grandson

PETER ALLAN
Written by: Theressa Allan Redd, daughter

Peter Allan was born January 18, 1869 at Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. He was the second son of John Allan and Janet McAuslan Allan.

In 1861 the family moved to a farm on the west bank of the Weber River near Coalville, on account of the Black Hawk War. In 1868 the family again moved to Coalville, and Peter then eight years of age, started to school. He was a very good student, especially good in numbers. Peter became acquainted with many of the leading authorities of the Church while they lived in Coalville because his father had one of the finest homes in town and the authorities usually stopped there when visiting in Coalville.

In 1872 the family moved again. This time to Richfield, Utah, a distance of over two hundred miles. They were members of the Richfield United Order, which was established in 1847. Peter then, only fourteen years of age, was an assistant clerk in the office of the Order.

In the summer of 1878 the Allan family were called to go to San Luis Valley, Colorado and assist in making a settlement there. A small house was built for Peter and his Auntie Mother, Agnes, in the town of Manassa, Colorado. The rest of the family lived on a farm about eight miles north-east of there. While at Manassa, Peter taught school. He as also was the first postmaster of Manassa, and he bought his first survey instruments while there.

In 1881 the Allan family all moved to Montezuma on the San Juan River, about eighty miles above Bluff, Utah. Peter and his older brother John, did not stay there very long, however, but went to Fruitland, New Mexico. When the San Juan River flooded the Allan ranch at Montezuma, Peter returned to help them and they all moved to Bluff in the year 1884.

Peter was now a dark complexioned young man of twenty-four. He did not take much to farming and cattle raising, but would rather spend his time with his books. He had learned to survey land and did a lot of his work in San Juan County. He helped to survey the towns of Monticello, White Mesa ,and Bluff.  In fact, he surveyed nearly all the land of San Juan county at one time or another between the years of 1884 and 1924.

He was teacher in the public school at Bluff for some time.  He was ward clerk at Bluff for a number of years.  Then he spent two years in the British Mission in Scotland.  On his return home he was again ward clerk of Bluff. In about 1904 he was sustained clerk of the San Juan Stake, and he held this position until November 30, 1924.

He was married to Martha Jane Black on October 10, 1906.

They lived in Bluff for about four years and two daughters were born to them there, Theressa in 1907, and Rowena in 1909. 

Before leaving Bluff, Peter Allan was appointed U.S. Land Commissioner.  He held this office until 1922.  He was a very public spirited man and was always trying to do something to benefit the community and county in which he lived.  For example, he was Notary-Public, U.S. Land Commissioner, and Justice-of-the-Peace of Blanding, all at one time.  He did all this besides his church work, being Stake Clerk and clerk-and-secretary of the High Priests Quorum. He was many times elected county surveyor.  In all his dealings and work he was honest, very conscientious and very accurate.  He always obeyed the laws of the land and of his church.

In November 1922 he was appointed postmaster of Blanding.  It was then necessary for him to drop all other government elective positions.  While he was postmaster, the business increased until the office was promoted to a third class office, and remained a third class office until after his death.

He died suddenly on February 4, 1930 at his home in Blanding, Utah.  He was still postmaster at the time of his death.